Visiting Mengding Organic Tea Garden

In the early Spring on March 9, 2013, TeaVivre visit the Mengding Tea Garden in Mengding Mountain, Ya’an, Sichuan, China.

Mengding Mountain located in Mingshan County near the city of Ya'an, 120 kilometers southwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital in Sichuan. With a humid climate, the mountain is enshrouded by clouds all year round, an ideal environment for the growth of tea. Mengding Mountain has an annual rainfall of over 2,000 millimeters. Up to 225 days are rainy during each year.

Famous teas produced on Mengding Mountain: Mengding Ganlu (蒙顶甘露), Mengding Huangya(蒙顶黄芽), Mengding Shihua(蒙顶石花).

During the Yuanhe reign (806-820) of the Tang Dynasty, royal tea gardens were established among the five peaks of Mengding Mountain. Mengding tea was designated as an imperial tribute tea for exclusive use by the royal family.

Mengding Royal Tea, the first teapot in the world

Mengding organic royal tea base

85 years old grandmother was picking tea, the tea buds are so tender

At the early spring, the tea buds are so tender, teas made at the early spring are of high quality.

Tea leaves for making Mengding Ganlu (a famous Green Tea)

Traditional steps of making Mending Ganlu

Pan Fried – Traditional Shaqing step: to give off grassy smell in order to release the aroma;
to evaporate part of the water in the fresh leaves to soft the leaves and enhance toughness to make the next step rolling easier.

Rolling (Rounian) The purpose of Rounian is to make the shape tight in order to make the next step drying easier. As well as destructing of leaf tissue to make better quality for easy brewing out the tea liquor.

Drying

Have a cup of Mengding Ganlu